OPP DRUG SNIFFING DOGS SEARCH HALLS OF PDHS

Two Students Given Suspensions for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

The normally boisterous and busy hallways of Paris District High School
fell silent for about an hour last Wednesday morning. Students and staff
were confined to classrooms as police officers and four sniffing dogs
scoured the halls, searching the school for drugs. The lockdown was put
into effect at roughly 10:30a.m. When the lockdown order was lifted two
students were facing two-day suspensions.

The students in question are both male, and both 16 years of age. One was
discovered to have a small amount of marijuana in his possession. Both were
found with drug paraphernalia. Neither student is facing charges, and OPP
spokesperson Mark Foster described the quantity of drugs found on the first
student as "very small."

The lockdown and drug sweep was in planning for about one month. Principal
Gerry Watts explained that this coordinated effort between the local
Ontario Provincial Police and the school administration takes place one or
two times a year. Prior to last week's search, only one other search in the
last five years netted drugs. That student was suspended.

During the search three police dogs scour the halls sniffing for drugs. The
dogs can be aggressive, which is why the lockdown is employed. A fourth,
'passive' dog is taken through classrooms at random, and notifies its
handler when it smells what may be marijuana.

Watts says the school's policy on drugs is a strict one. "If they even
smell of it (drugs) it is inappropriate for them to be here," he explained.
Students who smell of marijuana are automatically given a two-day
suspension, which stays on their school record.

"We have really good kids at this school," Watts said. "There's no doubt
about it., but we have to look at the greater good."

Watts says that the search and lockdown procedure has not met with a lot of
backlash from parents or pupils. In fact, the principal reports having
received positive feedback, even from the one student who prior to last
week's raid had the distinction of being the only person ever "outed"
through these random searches.

"It's one of the unfortunate things we have to do in this society," Watts
said in defense of the procedure. "As a parent I would want the school to
be safe and free from any illicit drugs."

Following the search students discussed the issue of drugs and the recent
search in the hallways. Jessica Sivyer's Grade 10 English class was among
those visited by the passive dog. "They came in, walked around...nothing
really happened," she recounted.

Rachel Segin was in Grade 9 French when the search took place. She said she
was not bothered by the search. Among her friends there was a consensus
that drugs are not a big problem across the board at at PDHS.

"With some groups of people it's pretty bad," she remarked.